77 year old driving tractor from Minnesota to Washington state to raise money and awareness for Parkinson’s Disease

To honor his brother who is living with Parkinson’s disease (PD), 77-year-old Mike Adkinson, from Bellingham, WA, will be driving his tractor 2,600 miles on the backroads and highways from Perch Lake, MN to Bellingham, WA, to promote awareness about PD while also raising critical funds for the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) Northwest Chapter. This will be the second time Adkinson is taking on such an adventure – but this time he’s adding 800 miles to the distance, and looking to double the funds raised! 

Mike’s brother Dan was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2021 and his family realized they didn’t know much about this progressive neurological disorder that currently has no cure. As the Adkinson family started learning about PD they were inspired to make a difference –that’s when the idea for a cross country tractor trip was hatched. Just last year,  Mike drove his tractor an impressive 1,800 miles from WA to MN and stopped at most towns along route, creating community and connections while raising awareness about Parkinson’s disease. Mike raised more than $56,000 last year and has set a goal of $100,000 for this year’s trip.

“I know a repeat trip may sound crazy, but I had so much fun meeting people on last year’s journey that I really cannot wait to do it again,” states Adkinson. “I named my tractor ‘Spirit of Friends’ which embodies all the connections I made along the way. It is important for people to learn about Parkinson’s and I am passionate about this cause. We want to raise money so people like my brother can get the care and support they need. If driving my tractor gets people to pay attention or donate, then I have met my goal.”

Mike plans to depart Perch Lake, MN, around May 15, and at an average speed of 12 mph the journey is expected to take nearly two months. He will head south through Minnesota and Iowa, then west through South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and home to Washington. In South Dakota he will pass through Canton and Hot Springs.

Mike is eager to meet up with people impacted by Parkinson’s along the way and his trip progress can be followed by searching Tractor Trip for Parkinson’s on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.  Mike can be contacted at 360-708-1685 or mikdadk45@gmail.com.